As I've been preparing to wite this blog, my 5 and 7 year old little girls have been at the kitchen table with a bag full of ribbons, buttons, yarn ect, elmers glue, paint and glitter (all non-toxic of course) card board boxes, poster board and paper and sure, they are making a bit of a mess, but so what. They will entertain themselves for a couple of hours, the cost of thier art supplies may come to $15, and they are being creative!

They are expressing themselves artistically, they are learning and developing a sense of pride and accomplishment in their Sunday afternoon projects. Sure, I could pop in a Disney flick and they would be glued to the tube for the afternoon. Then we wouldn't have to worry about cleaning up the mess they've made. But in my opinion, helping them clean up is a small price to pay for enabling and encouraging their creativity. An added bonus, they are learning to co-operate with one anothe by sharing supplies, admiring each others work and offering ideas. Proof that my theories work? My older children were given the same artistic freedoms and my 27 year old daughter is a College graduate who is very successful, confident and independent. She know lives and works in England (I'm going to visit one week from today!) My 20 year old son is currently in his second year of college and is excelling in his studies of  Graphic Design with a minor in Fine Arts. So although a Disney flick is fun from time to time, give your children the freedom to be creative. The clean-up is a small price to pay for the intellect and self-esteem that you are helping to develope.